France forward Ousmane Dembele has come under lots of criticism for his first-half showing in the World Cup final against Argentina.
Dembele unsurprisingly kept his place in Didier Deschamps’ starting XI for the match against Copa America champions Argentina.
Les Bleus had a woeful first half, going into the break 2-0 down after Lionel Messi and Angel Di Maria’s goals.
Dembele was probably the worst player on the pitch in the opening 45 minutes.
The Barcelona winger gave away a penalty – which Messi dispatched to open the scoring – and looked sloppy on the ball.
One man to lead the criticism is former England coach and defender Stuart Pearce, who labeled Dembele’s performance as “the worst game I’ve ever seen anyone have”.
Harsh criticism indeed for Dembele, who was substituted in the 41st minute; as was striker Olivier Giroud.
“Dembele is having the worst game I’ve ever seen anyone have,” Pearce told talkSPORT.
“He’s given the penalty away and has probably given away every pass that he’s had after that.”
When Dembele was taken off, Pearce added: “I feel sorry for the lad, he’s given the penalty away. His performance has been shocking to be fair.
“Deschamps had to do something there, we were watching a car crash.”
Former England right-back Gary Neville thinks Dembele got “played like a little boy” in fouling Di Maria in the penalty box.
“The penalty I have to say, I know Dembele is a wide player, but honestly… his initial challenge, you know what Di Maria is going to do, he’s been doing it for ten years,” Neville told ITV.
“It’s embarrassing, and I’m torn on one, I think it’s a soft penalty, but also the stupidity of when you do that and get wrong side, you almost deserve to get found out.
“And Dembele gets found out, he gives Di Maria that opportunity. Dembele gets played like a little boy.”
During commentary for the World Cup final, Jermaine Jenas had his say on Deschamps’ double substitution in the first half.
“Don’t blame Didier Deschamps at all,” Jenas said. “He is looking at the same thing we are looking it. They are obviously struggling with something as a group and were carrying one too many players in my opinion.
“It’s a tough call because Giroud had given him so much in the tournament but he has had to make the call before half-time. It means Mbappe will go through the middle.”
Meanwhile, ex-England striker and former Ballon d’Or winner Michael Owen has said…
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